For decades, Hollywood has primarily catered to a white audience. However, in recent years, Hollywood has broadened its horizons to allow room for a more diverse audience and to portray a wide ray of human experiences. This includes Black representation, which involves involving Black people in the film production process, whether it’s in the form of the cast or the crew. From well-portrayed supporting roles to unforgettable lead roles, in terms of Black representation, mainstream Hollywood has come a long way. There still certainly is a long way to go, but in recent years, there have been many great performances from Black actors across film and television.
Recent might be a nebulous term, but for this purpose, this means roles since the 2020s, as just in the past four years, there have been some incredible performances that are worth highlighting. From some of the most well-respected Black actors in history to some exciting new faces, there is plenty to choose from, so here are just a few amazing recent performances from Black actors.
Update February 5, 2024: This article has been updated with even more great performances by Black actors and where you can stream each title.
15 Jacob Anderson – Interview with the Vampire (2022 – Present)
An adaptation of the popular Anne Rice novel, the gothic horror series Interview with the Vampire is a dazzling retelling of the spine-tingling tale and chronicles the turbulent relationship between Louis de Pointe du Lac and Lestat de Lioncourt, as the affluent New Orleans young man is turned into a vampire by Lestat and must navigate both his feelings for his maker but also his new reality as a creature of the night. Jacob Anderson brilliantly took over the role of Louis, who was previously portrayed by Brad Pitt in the 1994 adaptation, and his sizzling chemistry with Sam Reid’s Lestat was singled out by both critics and fans alike.
Big Shoes to Fill
Anderson brings a profound vulnerability to the role that contrasts wonderfully with Reid’s brash and volatile demeanor. Changing Louis’s race from a white plantation owner in the 1860s to a young black man in the early 1900s adds new narrative complexity to the narrative and ties Louis’s quest for wanting to be something greater to how society puts him down due to the color of his skin. The series has been lauded for completely embracing the queer elements only hinted at in the film version and has achieved nearly complete critical acclaim, with a current Rotten Tomatoes rating of 98%. Stream on Prime Video
14 Teyonah Parris – WandaVision (2021)/The Marvels (2023)
Marvel’s WandaVision follows Wanda Maximoff and Vision as their idyllic suburban life is interrupted, and their reality starts moving through decades of sitcoms, paying homage to a variety of TV tropes. Teyonah Parris portrays Monica Rambeau, one of the few Black female superheroes in the MCU who got an even bigger role in The Marvels, where she united with Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel for one of the MCU’s most underrated films.
An Epic Superhero Reveal
First introduced to the audience as Geraldine, Parris’ character takes the audience by surprise after Wanda throws her flying through time and space. For casual audiences and MCU fans, it certainly must have been a surprise to find out that she was the grown-up version of the little girl they saw in Captain Marvel. Over the course of the series, Monica defines herself as a hero even before she gets powers due to the incredible empathy she displays towards Wanda Maximoff. Then, in The Marvels, she gets to showcase the full scope of her powers while also getting to cut loose a bit and showing she is more than a serious member of the team. Despite The Marvels being a box office bomb, hopefully, the film’s mid-credit scene means that Monica Rambeau will return in the MCU and that Parris will get a chance to shine in the franchise. Stream WandaVision on Disney+ and The Marvels will arrive on Disney+ on February 7, 2024.
13 Shalita Grant – You (2021)
Netflix’s psychological thriller You centers around stalker and serial killer, Joe Goldberg, as he falls in love and develops an extreme obsession with the object of his affection. While the main cast in their earlier seasons was primarily white, the third season brings more diversity to the screen. Shalita Grant’s Sherry not only brings more drama to the show but also adds much-needed diversity.
A Delightfully Dislikable Role
Grant’s Sherry is a famous local “momfluencer”, she’s loud, nosy, and has a talent for throwing veiled insults at others. Much like the other characters in the show, she has a fake persona and cares about her own self-interest. It’s not an easy feat to do a good job of portraying dislikable characters. Yet Grant does a great job; the audience can’t help but feel annoyed with Sherry and her fake momfluencer persona. Stream on Netflix
12 Michaela Jaé Rodriguez – Pose (2017 – 2021)
American drama TV series Pose revolves around New York City’s ballroom culture, which is an LGBTQIA+ subculture in the African-American and Latino communities, in the 1980s and 1990s. It shows a variety of dancers and models as they participate in a variety of underground competitions, all the while supporting one another through their network of chosen families known as houses.
A Groundbreaking Performance
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez portrays Blanca Rodriguez, a trans woman who is the founder and mother of the House of Evangelista. Rodriguez’s character is warm, often coming forward to support various characters. She’s the glue that holds the House and its members together. Her heartfelt performance in Pose earned her a bunch of nominations and awards. She even became the first trans woman in 2021 to receive an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. In 2022, she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for her role in Pose. While she started the role in 2018, she earns a spot on the list due to her awards coming in the 2020s. Stream on Hulu
Pose
- Release Date
- 2018-00-00
- Seasons
- 2
11 Delroy Lindo – Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Delroy Lindo is one of the most underrated actors in recent memory, and his role in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods is a major highlight and the best work he has ever done. Released on Netflix during the COVID-19 pandemic, the film plot follows a group of four aging Vietnam War veterans who return to the country in search of the remains of their fallen squad leader, as well as the treasure they buried while serving there. Lindo plays Paul, the most abrasive and cruel member of the group.
Lindo Steals the Show
Da 5 Bloods is one of Spike Lee’s greatest movies, and while the movie is now remembered as one of Chadwick Boseman’s final films, Lindo is the scene stealer and commands every scene he is in. While he was snubbed for Best Actor at the Oscars in one of the biggest oversights, the role has thankfully gotten him even more work, including the role of Bass Reeves in The Harder They Fall and an upcoming role in the MCU’s Blade reboot. Stream on Netflix.
10 Viola Davis – The Woman King (2022)
Those who have watched The Woman King will remember Viola Davis’ remarkable portrayal of Nanisca, an army general. In the war film, which takes a creative license to actual historical events, Nanisca trains and leads the Agohie, an all-women warrior group. They reigned over the African kingdom of Dahomey, which is modern-day Benin, for quite some time.
Davis Brings the Power
Davis’s portrayal of the ruthless warrior, who hides away her emotional vulnerabilities and is haunted by their past, is gut-wrenching and unforgettable. From the intense physical training she did behind the scenes to her passionate on-screen speeches to fellow warriors, Viola Davis gave the audience a performance they couldn’t forget. It’s not surprising that the actress was nominated for a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice award for her role in the film. Stream on Netflix
9 Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple (2023)
Touting a phenomenal ensemble cast including Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo, and Fantasia Barino, the coming-of-age drama musical The Color Purple is a breathtaking retelling of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, depicting the resilience and unwavering spirit of the African American young woman Celie as she endures harrowing hardships in her life yet finds profound comfort in sisterhood. With a cast and pedigree this impressive it certainly would be hard to stand out but Orange Is the New Black alum Danielle Brooks was truly a force to be reckoned with when she took on the spirited role of Sofia, a defiant and tenacious character who refuses to be abused and brought down by society and its expectations.
A Moving & Uninhibited Portrayal
Not only does Brooks completely embody Sofia’s heart and soul, but she also fearlessly belts out passionate tunes like “Hell No!” in the moving adaptation. Brooks has earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her fantastic work in the musical, the same one that Oprah was nominated for in the original film. In a movie filled with incredible performances, Brooks stands out and proves herself to be one of the best young stars currently working today. Rent/Buy on Prime Video
8 Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction (2023)
Jeffrey Wright is one of the most respected character actors working today. After having been a major supporting actor in films like The Batman, Casino Royale, and The French Dispatch, Wright finally got a lead role worthy of his talents with American Fiction. Wright plays Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a novelist-professor who writes an outlandish satire of stereotypical “Black” books, only for it to be mistaken by the public as serious literature and published to both high sales and critical praise much to his charging. Not only must he grapple with success for a work he is not proud of, but he also must take care of his family, who are struggling following a recent family tragedy.
Wright Is Amazing
Wright truly gives the best performance of his career, and he rightfully has been nominated for Best Actor at the 96th Academy Awards. American Fiction is a movie that hangs on Wright’s performance, and he is able to give the perfect mix of serious gravitas and comedic sensibility to make the whole movie work. While co-star Sterling K. Brown also delivers a great performance with more scene-stealing moments, Wright is the heart and soul of the movie. American Fiction is playing in theaters.
7 Keke Palmer – Nope (2022)
Audiences may remember Keke Palmer as a constant presence on their screens with roles in movies like Barbershop 2, Madea’s Family Reunion, and Akeelah and the Bee. While Palmer has played a variety of roles, she hadn’t gotten a chance to really portray her full potential until Jordan Peele’s science fiction horror Nope.
Palmer Gives It Her All
As Emerald Haywood, Palmer portrays the expressive, displaying a wide range of emotions, but is also surrounded with an air of glamour. She easily goes through a variety of emotions and moods throughout the film, from being determined and camera-ready to slightly troubled, to ridiculously hilarious, and to a person who is brimming with love and care. It’s refreshing to see Palmer portray such a complex, yet relatable character. This is easily Palmer’s best role and one that will likely redefine her career for the foreseeable future. Stream on Peacock
Nope
Jordan Peele returns to direct a film about the residents of a lonely gulch in inland California bearing witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery. Daniel Kaluuya, Barbie Ferreira, and Steven Yeun star.
- Release Date
- July 22, 2022
6 Jeremy Pope – The Inspection (2022)
Based on the true experience of writer and director Elegance Bratton, The Inspection follows the life of Ellis French, a black gay Marine, who enlisted in 2005 during the height of the U.S. military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Not only does French have to face homophobia at his military boot camp, but also from his mother, who kicked him out of their house when he was sixteen for being queer.
Pope’s Poignant Performance
The emotional and painful nature of Bratton’s narrative really pushed Jeremy Pope to deliver a performance that was raw and vulnerable. And deliver he did. Through his performance (which rightfully earned a Golden Globe nod), Pope is able to capture the distress and desperation French feels to have others, especially his own mother, accept him for who he truly is. Stream on Paramount+
5 Janelle Monáe – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Those who have watched the Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion: a Knives Out Mystery, will agree that Janelle Monáe’s Andi was quite the scene stealer. The mystery film is a standalone sequel and follows master detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) as he tries to uncover the mystery surrounding billionaire tech Miles Bron (Edward Norton). Monáe had already proven herself to be a standout performer in films like Hidden Figures, but Glass Onion is the film that took her to a whole new level.
Monáe’s a Master on the Screen
Monáe’s Andi is a key player in helping Craig’s Blanc investigate the murder on Bron’s luxurious private island. Throughout the film, Monáe delivers some powerful monologues and even effortlessly pulls off one of the most unexpected twists in the film! Glass Onion features a slew of spectacular performances, yet Monáe’s is no doubt the finest and most compelling to witness. Stream on Netflix
4 Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers (2023)
Undeniably, one of the finest films of 2023 was Alexander Payne’s riveting dramedy The Holdovers, which stars acting chameleon Paul Giamatti as an uptight and grumpy boarding school professor in the 1970s who is forced to stay at the camping during Christmas break to keep an eye on some of its students, and he ends up making an unexpected and life-changing bond with a savvy troublemaker (Dominic Sessa) and somber head cook (Da’Vine Joy Robinson).
Robinson & Giamatti Are Simply Fantastic
Robinson’s aching and sorrowful performance of the grieving mother Mary Lamb tugged at the heartstrings of audiences everywhere, as her character was struggling with the unfathomable loss of her beloved son, who was tragically killed in the Vietnam War. The gifted actress more than holds her own against seasoned Hollywood veteran Giamatti, and she brings a stirring melancholy to the devastated character. Like her co-star Giamatti, Robinson has garnered an Academy Award nomination and also won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her touching portrayal. Stream on Peacock
The Holdovers
- Release Date
- November 10, 2023
3 Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
Denzel Washington is one of the greatest actors of all time, so the idea of him taking on the role of Macbeth, one of the most celebrated roles of all time was a delight for everyone. Joel Coen’s first film, The Tragedy of Macbeth, was made without his brother Ethan And is a bold new take on the classic William Shakespeare play. Told in black and white with minimal sets that draw attention to their artifice and being heavily inspired by German expressionism, the film is more of a psychological thriller take on the material, and Washington truly gives it his all.
Washington in the Legendary Role
One of the beauties of stage plays is their color-blind casting. They never need to justify it; they just have the audience suspend their disbelief because they know what they are watching is a play, so they don’t need to abide by historical accuracy. The Tragedy of Macbeth brings that to the silver screen and highlights why the need for “accuracy” is so important if it denies the chance of having a great actor give an amazing turn as a legendary figure. Washington owns the role of Macbeth and is an actor more than up for the challenge of the challenging part. In a career filled with great performances, it speaks to how great Macbeth is that it is one of his best. Stream on AppleTV+.
2 Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
The Black Panther sequel was a highly anticipated film, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever does not disappoint. The whole cast delivered a spectacular performance to the audience. Perhaps one of the most memorable performances was from Angela Bassett, who received an Oscar nomination for portraying Queen Ramonda, the first time an actor has even been nominated for the MCU. Bassett brings a multidimensional performance to the screen and a commanding presence.
A Beacon of Strength
With many still recovering from the passing of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa, Romanda is forced to put her emotions aside to lead Wakanda in a world that’s not only recovering from Thanos’ decimation but also dealing with other nations coveting vibranium. Bassett displays a plethora of emotions, from a strong leader with a steely resolve to volcanic anger when her daughter is taken away from her. She gets some of the movies best moments, and her scenes in the MCU cement her as one of the best casting additions to the franchise history. Stream on Disney+
Black Panther Wakanda Forever
A sequel that will continue to explore the world of Wakanda and all the characters introduced in the 2018 film.
- Release Date
- November 11, 2022
1 Teyana Taylor – A Thousand and One (2023)
Easily one of the best acting performances in recent years, and one of the most overlooked performances of 2023 belongs to Teyana Taylor. She starred in the emotional drama A Thousand and One, the winner of the Grand Jury Prize – Dramatic Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Taylor plays a single mother who decides to kidnap her son out of the foster care system to raise him herself as the two struggle with life while trying to avoid authorities for years so he will not be taken away from her.
Taylor’s Performance is a Revelation
Taylor’s role of Inez de la Paz is an emotionally rich and complex one. She is strong but also full of sadness and fear. She is a commanding presence, and after years in small supporting roles in films like Madea’s Big Happy Family and Coming 2 America, she roars onto the scene with one of the best performances of the 2020s so far. Taylor is a force to be reckoned with, and anyone who watches A Thousand and One won’t be able to deny how great she is. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a long, incredible acting career. Stream on Prime Video.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
